UC hospital workers begin one-day strike

The union that represents 22,000 employees at UC campuses and medical centers began a one-day strike early Wednesday morning at the system's nine campuses and five medical centers. Service workers, patient care employees and student tutors are among those striking. In preparation for the strike, some elective surgeries and treatments have been postponed at the system's hospitals and replacement workers are being hired, officials said. The picketing began Wednesday morning and is expected to continue until 7 p.m. "It's really going great.? Turnout has actually been extraordinarily strong," said Todd Stenhouse, a spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. "I can tell you thousands are already out statewide."